Broncos PFF grades: Best, worst players from 41-32 win vs. Browns

Nik Bonitto (92.3) had a huge game and Levi Wallace (32.0) had a night to forget. View more Broncos PFF grades here.

Following the Denver Broncos‘ 41-32 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football, Pro Football Focus has released grades for each player’s Week 13 performance.

PFF grades players on a 0 (worst) to 100 (best) scale. Check out the best and worst of Week 13 below.

Best Offensive Players 

  • TE/FB Nate Adkins: 89.2
  • G Quinn Meinerz: 82.2
  • QB Bo Nix: 76.5
  • WR Marvin Mims: 76.0
  • WR Courtland Sutton: 74.2

Sutton remains Mr. Reliable for Nix, and that 93-yard touchdown catch from Mims was huge. It’s been a long time since Denver had an offense this fun to watch.

Best Defensive Players 

  • OLB Nik Bonitto: 92.3
  • CB Ja’Quan McMillian: 91.6
  • CB Damarri Mathis: 77.6
  • DL John Franklin-Myers: 76.5
  • OLB Jonathon Cooper: 76.3

Bonitto continues to make his case for Defensive Player of the Year while McMillian stars in the slot. Mathis might deserve more snaps going forward, too.

Worst Offensive Players 

  • RB Javonte Williams: 45.2
  • TE Adam Trautman: 50.3
  • OL Matt Peart: 55.1
  • OT Garett Bolles: 55.6
  • OL Luke Wattenberg: 57.9

PFF must grade penalties very harshly because Bolles held up mostly well against Myles Garrett, who finished the day without any sacks. Williams has posted a dud in back-to-back games.

Worst Defensive Players 

  • CB Levi Wallace: 32.0
  • DB Brandon Jones: 35.8
  • CB Kris Abrams-Draine: 37.6
  • DL Malcolm Roach: 47.5
  • DB P.J. Locke: 53.4

A night to forget for the secondary, particularly Wallace. Abrams-Draine was dinged by PFF for a penalty, but he appeared to be an upgrade over Wallace. The Broncos will hope Riley Moss (knee) is able to return after the bye.

Special Teams 

  • ST Jonah Elliss: 73.6
  • LS Mitchell Fraboni: 65.3
  • R Marvin Mims: 60.6
  • K Wil Lutz: 66.3 (FG) 52.0 (KO)
  • P Riley Dixon: 69.9

You can view grades for every player on the paid version of PFF’s website.

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The All-22 angle of Bo Nix’s throw to Marvin Mims is amazing

What an amazing throw by Bo Nix and a great catch and run by Marvin Mims!

In the third quarter of Monday’s 41-32 win over the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix connected with wide receiver Marvin Mims on a 93-yard strike to take a 28-17 lead.

The All-22 end zone angle of the throw reveals a perfectly-placed ball from Nix over a linebacker and away from the defensive back where only Mims has a chance to catch it.

We could watch this all day:

Take a look from the other end of the field:

“We hit that turkey hole” coach Sean Payton said of the play after the game. “Sometimes that ball might go outside. It was a heck of a throw and catch and a huge play.”

Mims had 0.4 yards of separation when the ball arrived and he reached a top speed of 20.68 mph on the play, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

“It was kind of a read-the-field route for me. They ended up being in a cover-2, and I had the middle open and they kind of just shot it. [QB] Bo [Nix] ended up trusting me and putting the ball in a perfect place, literally. It ended up being a big play for us.”

The ball traveled 44.3 yards in the air yards, according to NGS. Nix broke down the play after the big win.

“We knew it was third-and-long,” Nix said. “We were trying to be aggressive and go for the first down. We just kind of had three verticals getting to three spots down the field. [They played] 2-Tampa invert. Their corners were going back. As soon as I saw the ‘Mike’ kind of carry, they only do that in Tampa-2, so I knew it was a two-on-one to the field. Marvin with his speed, just had to get it out there. He did a great job splitting the field. Their guy couldn’t get to it. Just kind of heard the crowd go crazy, and it was one of those awesome plays that you don’t get often, but they’re pretty fun.”

The 93-yard completion was the fourth-longest in franchise history and the third-longest score by any NFL team this season.

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Broncos beat Browns 41-32 in ‘Monday Night Football’ thriller

What a wild ‘Monday Night Football’ game! The Broncos now go into their bye week with an 8-5 record following Monday’s win.

The Denver Broncos improved to 8-5 with a 41-32 victory in a Monday Night Football thriller against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13 of the 2024 NFL season.

After the Broncos punted on their opening drive, Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins missed a 47-yard field goal attempt on Cleveland’s first possession of the game. Nix then led a 12-play, 63-yard drive that was capped off by a two-yard touchdown run from Javonte Williams to take a 7-0 lead.

With Denver cornerback Riley Moss (knee) sidelined, the Browns attacked fill-in cornerback Levi Wallace on their next drive as quarterback Jameis Winston connected on an eight-yard touchdown pass to tight end David Njoku to tie the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Browns cornerback Denzel Ward tipped a Nix pass intended for Troy Franklin into the air and it was intercepted by Greg Newsome. Cleveland capitalized off that takeaway with a 45-yard Hopkins field goal to take a 10-7 lead.

Later in the second quarter, the Broncos went 67 yards on six plays and fullback Michael Burton scored on a one-yard run to make it 14-10. Shortly thereafter, Denver pass rusher Nik Bonitto made a game-changing play with a 71-yard pick-six to extend the lead to 21-10.

The Browns bounced back after that pick-six as Winston led an 11-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a four-yard touchdown pass to Njoku to cut the deficit to 21-17 just before halftime.

In the third quarter, Nix threw a 93-yard touchdown pass to receiver Marvin Mims to make it 28-17.

Winston matched that score with a 70-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy. After a successful two-point conversion thrown to Jeudy, Cleveland made it a field goal game, 28-25. Broncos kicker Wil Litz later converted a 36-yard field goal to increase the lead to 31-25.

In the fourth quarter, Nix was intercepted by Ward when he threw a deep pass intended for Mims. The Browns capitalized on that takeaway as Winston later threw a five-yard touchdown pass to running back Nick Chubb to give Cleveland a 32-31 lead with just under nine minutes remaining in the game.

Denver then used up just over six minutes on a 61-yard drive that ended with a 27-yard Lutz field goal to retake a 34-32 lead. Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian then grabbed a 46-yard pick-six to make it 41-32.

Denver linebacker Cody Barton then sealed the game with an interception on the final drive of the game.

Winston threw for 497 yards and four touchdowns, but his three interceptions proved to be costly. Nix totaled 294 passing yards with one touchdown pass and two interceptions.

Up next for the Broncos is a bye in Week 14 followed by a home game against the Indianapolis Colts at Empower Field at Mile High in Week 15.

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WATCH: Bo Nix throws 93-yard TD pass to Marvin Mims

Bo Nix with a 93-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Mims!

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix threw a 93-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marvin Mims in the third quarter of Monday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

Here’s video of the play, courtesy of the team’s official Twitter/X page:

Following the score, the Broncos now lead the Browns 28-17.

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5 Broncos players who deserve to make the 2025 Pro Bowl

These five Denver Broncos players should make the Pro Bowl this season.

Fan voting for the 2025 Pro Bowl opened on Monday and the Denver Broncos have five players who deserve to make the All-Star game.

Here’s a quick list of the Broncos players who should receive an invite to Florida following the regular season.

1. CB Pat Surtain: PS2 has allowed just 142 passing yards this season, fewest in the NFL among qualified cornerbacks. Add in three interceptions (including a 100-yard pick-six) and Surtain should be a lock.

2. G Quinn Meinerz: He delivers pancake blocks seemingly every week. Meinerz is overdue for his first career Pro Bowl nod.

3. DL Zach Allen: He’s currently sidelined with a heel injury, but Allen still leads defensive linemen with 52 pressures this season. Allen has dominated this fall, totaling 21 quarterback hits, 12 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and five sacks through 11 games.

4. OLB Nik Bonitto: The first Broncos to record double-digit sacks since 2018, Bonitto is in contention to lead the NFL in sacks this season.

5. WR Courtland Sutton: His 744 receiving yards rank in the top four in the AFC, as do his five receiving touchdowns. Sutton has been a reliable WR1 for rising rookie quarterback Bo Nix.

Honorable mentions: CB Riley Moss, K Wil Lutz, OLB Jonathon Cooper, CB Ja’Quan McMillian, DB Brandon Jones, LT Garett Bolles, QB Bo Nix, KR/PR Marvin Mims and ST Tremon Smith.

Fans can vote for the Pro Bowl through Dec. 23. The 2025 Pro Bowl Games will be held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Feb. 2.

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Broncos PFF grades: Best, worst players from 29-19 win over Raiders

Quinn Meinerz (94.0) was the Broncos’ best player on Sunday, followed by CB Riley Moss (90.5). View more PFF grades here.

Following the Denver Broncos‘ 29-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Pro Football Focus has released grades for each player’s Week 12 performance.

PFF grades players on a 0 (worst) to 100 (best) scale. Check out the best and worst of Week 12 below.

Best Offensive Players 

  • OL Quinn Meinerz: 94.0
  • OT Garett Bolles: 79.8
  • WR Devaughn Vele: 77.5
  • QB Bo Nix: 75.5
  • C Luke Wattenberg: 70.0

A good day overall for the offensive line and another solid performance from QB Bo Nix and WR Devaughn Vele. WR Courtland Sutton (67.8) received the sixth-best grade on offense, followed by tackle Mike McGlinchey (65.5).

Best Defensive Players 

  • CB Riley Moss: 90.5
  • CB Pat Surtain: 83.0
  • DB Brandon Jones: 76.9
  • DB P.J. Locke: 72.3
  • CB Damarri Mathis: 71.1

Riley Moss left with a knee injury but played well before that. Brandon Jones had a game-changing interception. If you don’t count Mathis, who played just two defensive snaps, the fifth-best defender on the day was pass rusher Nik Bonitto (71.0).

Worst Offensive Players 

  • TE Adam Trautman: 43.5
  • OL Matt Peart: 50.3
  • RB Javonte Williams: 50.3
  • TE/FB Nate Adkins: 50.3
  • G Ben Powers: 51.9

TE Lucas Krull (52.9) received the sixth-worst grade on offense. Denver would be wise to have TE and RB listed among the team’s top needs on offense in the offseason.

Worst Defensive Players 

  • DL Jordan Jackson: 33.6
  • OLB Jonah Elliss: 35.4
  • LB Levelle Bailey: 37.0
  • CB Ja’Quan McMillian: 37.8
  • LB Justin Strnad: 43.5

With Alex Singleton coming back from a torn ACL at 30 years old, the Broncos should target an inside linebacker in 2025 as well.

Special Teams 

  • ST Jonah Elliss: 72.6
  • LS Mitchell Fraboni: 65.1
  • R Marvin Mims: 60.5
  • K Wil Lutz: 76.5 (FG) 53.9 (KO)
  • P Riley Dixon: 67.9

You can view grades for every player on the paid version of PFF’s website.

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Broncos finding creative ways to get Marvin Mims involved

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims said of getting snaps at running back.

Last year, Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims made the Pro Bowl as a returner, but he seldom touched the ball on offense.

That has changed this season as the Broncos are giving Mims more touches on offense, sometimes in unique ways.

“We’re finding new ways to get ‘Mimsy’ involved, and he’s making some big plays,” Denver coach Sean Payton said after Week 11. 

Payton has been giving Mims some snaps at running back, and the receiver has made the most of them. Over the last two weeks, Mims has rushed six times for 21 yards while adding six receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Mims said of his unique role. “You know, I always joke every week with the running backs that I need to gain some weight, but we’ll see how that happens. It’s a lot of fun, just giving the defense different looks. You can tell sometimes they don’t know what to do when I’m back there in a running back position. Also punt returner, that’s a huge plus for our offense and special teams, so it’s been a lot of fun.”

Mims (5-11, 182 pounds) won’t be moved to running back full time, but the Broncos will continue to find creative ways to put the ball in his hands.

“I told him, ‘You’re still meeting with the receivers,'” Payton said. “He’s just has some elements, some natural running skills that you see in the return game. There are some challenges when he enters the game for instance with a tight end, and another tight end and two other receivers. You might say ‘02.’ Three receivers, two tight ends and we might be.

“There are some things that you have to make sure you know what you’re trying to do personnel-wise, so you’re not surprised. I think naturally there are some things he does running with the football, and obviously as a receiver. It’s just trying to find ways to highlight the things that he does well.”

Up next for Mims and Co. is a road game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

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Broncos PFF grades: Best, worst players from win over Falcons

Nik Bonitto (90.0) was the Broncos’ best player vs. the Falcons, followed by Quinn Meinerz (92.1) and Bo Nix (83.3). View more PFF grades.

Following the Denver Broncos‘ 38-6 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Pro Football Focus has released grades for each player’s Week 11 performance.

PFF grades players on a 0 (worst) to 100 (best) scale. Check out the best and worst of Week 11 below.

Best Offensive Players 

  • G Quinn Meinerz: 92.1
  • QB Bo Nix: 83.3
  • OT Mike McGlinchey: 77.4
  • WR Devaughn Vele: 75.5
  • RB Javonte Williams: 73.8

Bo Nix had the best game of his career in a record-breaking performance. Denver has also found creative ways to get WR Marvin Mims (73.2) involved, and he ended the day with the sixth-best grade on offense.

Best Defensive Players 

  • OLB Nik Bonitto: 90.0
  • DL John Franklin-Myers: 77.4
  • DB Devon Key: 75.3
  • CB Pat Surtain: 70.1
  • DL Zach Allen: 65.6

Nik Bonitto has now topped his 2023 sack total and he’s just one sack away from the first double-digit sack season of his career. Bonitto’s nine sacks are tied for second-most in the NFL this season.

Worst Offensive Players 

  • G Ben Powers: 51.1
  • RB Jaleel McLaughlin: 54.6
  • C Luke Wattenberg: 59.0
  • TE Adam Trautman: 59.0
  • TE Lucas Krull: 59.3

Tight end needs to be a priority position for the Broncos in the offseason. Tyler Warren would be a dream draft target.

Worst Defensive Players 

  • DL Jordan Jackson: 29.5
  • LB Levelle Bailey: 41.9
  • DL Malcolm Roach: 45.7
  • OLB Jonathon Cooper: 46.3
  • CB Riley Moss: 48.2

The Cooper and Moss grades seem a bit harsh.

Special Teams 

  • ST Devon Key: 86.2
  • LS Mitchell Fraboni: 77.8
  • R Marvin Mims: 61.3
  • K Wil Lutz: 68.0 (FG) 55.2 (KO)
  • P Riley Dixon: 55.9

You can view grades for every player on the paid version of PFF’s website.

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Broncos players lined up to hug Justin Simmons after beating Falcons

Broncos players lined up to hug Justin Simmons after beating the Falcons on Sunday. Simmons also thanked fans after the game.

After the Denver Broncos defeated the Atlanta Falcons in a blowout 38-6 win over Sunday, safety Justin Simmons exchanged post-game hugs with many of his former teammates.

Romi Bean of KCNC-TV shared a 30-second video on Twitter/X showing Broncos players lining up to embrace Simmons. The video shows kicker Wil Lutz, running back Javonte Williams, cornerback Riley Moss (who Simmons called “White Lightning”), safety Devon Key and wide receiver Marvin Mims exchanging hugs after the game.

Simmons, 30, played for the Broncos from 2016-2023 before being cut earlier this year. Ahead of Sunday’s game, Simmons dropped a f-bomb on his former team during a pre-game speech. The safety probably didn’t expect cameras to pick up the audio of that pre-game huddle.

After the game, Simmons sang a different tune.

“It was emotional,” Simmons said of returning to Denver. “Obviously, I played the last eight years here. A lot of good memories and it was bittersweet. First, I’m thankful for the warm embrace with the fans and (I) got to see some of my old teammates. It stinks being on the opposite side and coming away with the loss, a bad loss at that.

“We didn’t execute nearly well enough on defense to give us a chance to win this game. That’s a credit to their offense and how they were operating. It makes the whole thing bittersweet, but I did want to say thank you to the fans and the people that I got to see. The staff that I’ve known and gotten to know the previous eight years. I am super grateful and I’m also standing up here with a heavy heart of a really tough loss.”

Simmons ended the day with five tackles, including one tackle behind the line of scrimmage. He was on the opposite end of Javonte Williams’ touchdown run in the second quarter. “I was trying to tell them this boy run hard,” Simmons told Williams after the game.

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WATCH: Broncos QB Bo Nix throws TD pass to Marvin Mims

Broncos QB Bo Nix throws TD pass to WR Marvin Mims to make it 21-6!

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marvin Mims in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Here’s video of the play, courtesy of the team’s official Twitter/X page:

At the time of publication, Denver leads Atlanta 21-6 at halftime.

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